Key Insights

• JAY-Z’s Perspective: JAY-Z believes that the ongoing rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has escalated negatively.
• Impact on Hip-Hop: He feels that their feud has set hip-hop back and questions the necessity of such battles in the culture.
• Collaboration Over Conflict: JAY-Z suggests that collaboration could maintain hip-hop’s competitive spirit without damaging relationships.
• Authenticity in Music: He emphasizes the importance of creating music that is honest and true to oneself rather than focusing on pleasing others.

JAY-Z has finally shared his thoughts on Drake and Kendrick Lamar‘s epic 2024 rap battle — and his stance might surprise you.

Despite being involved in one of hip-hop’s fiercest feuds with Nas in the early 2000s, Hov believes that Dot and Drizzy’s beef went “too far” and is not a fan of all the negativity and division that continues to fuel their rivalry.

“We love the excitement and I love the sparring and the music you get, but in this day and age, there’s so much negative stuff that comes with it that you almost wish it didn’t happen,” he said in a rare interview with GQ ahead of his recently announced Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint anniversary shows at New York’s Yankee Stadium in July.

“Now, people that like Kendrick hate Drake, no matter what he makes or says. And it goes far, too. It’s like attacks on his character [and family]. I don’t know if I love that. I don’t know if it’s helpful to our growth.”

The Roc Nation mogul went on to claim that Kendrick and Drake’s beef inadvertently set hip-hop “a couple steps back” and wonders whether the age-old tradition of battling “even needs to be a part of the culture anymore.”

“I hate that I have this point of view because I know what it sounds like, I know what it feels like. I hate it!” he acknowledged, alluding to his own history of involvement in messy rap battles. “It’s just how I feel.”

The 56-year-old also laid out a path for keeping hip-hop’s competitive spirit alive without damaging careers or relationships: “I think we can achieve the same thing, as far as sparring with music, with collaborations more so than breaking the whole thing apart.

JAY-Z also addressed the backlash to Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show — specifically claims that he and Roc Nation, who oversee the annual spectacle, picked sides in the beef by handing the coveted gig to the Compton superstar.

“I chose the guy that was having a monster year. I think it was the right choice. What do I care about them two guys battling? What’s that got to do with me? Have at it,” he argued.

Hov also laughed off suggestions that he was part of a “conspiracy” to “undermine” Drake: “It’s like, what the fuck? I’m fucking JAY-Z! [laughs.] All due respect to him. I’m fucking Hov. Respectfully. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Check out more highlights from JAY-Z’s conversation with GQ below where he talks about his relationship with J. Cole, the rumors of him jumping on the Clipse‘s Let God Sort Em Out and where he’s at when it comes to new music.

On almost appearing on the Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out:

I was close. I think the first thing that I say [about the sexual assault lawsuit], it has to be said from me. [Pauses and reconsiders.] I don’t want to be so rigid with it, though. I’m going to keep that open. I’m going to take that back. I don’t want to be so rigid. But at that moment, I was like, “Yeah, I want to do something.” But in order for me to move forward, I got to get this shit out. I got to get it out.

On J. Cole:

I don’t have any negative feelings for him. I’m actually super proud of him and what he’s done … [DJ] Clue sent [J. Cole’s Birthday Blizzard ’26 tape] to me actually, not Cole. I’m a fan of hip-hop and this culture. I’m listening to it all. I play it all. I’m playing songs that most people haven’t heard of.

On new music:

I have a lot of scratch ideas and they’re all bad [laughs]. I got to be honest … I don’t know what I need to create currently that’s going to fulfil me and make me happy because that’s most important. I know I just got to be honest about what I feel and where I am. Maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe I’m stopping myself from just creating.

Whatever it is, it just needs to be a true representation of how I feel. Trying to create something that people like is where I think a lot of artists get jammed up. And people can feel that because it’s not authentic. I just got to make something timeless that I really love and that’s really honest and true to who I am.

On Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show:

He could have made it a little easier on himself. The artistic choice to play the new album was brave in front of that big of an audience. Because even if 10 million people know some of these songs, there are 120 million people who are like, “What is he doing?” As an artist, to stand up there and do it and complete your vision – I had to tip my hat. I had high respect for him already, but even more my respect was like, “He’s really about what he says he’s about.”

On his past beef with Nas:

[Our feud] didn’t happen at the Summer Jam — that happened with “Lex with TV sets, the minimum”. It was a whole bunch of stuff leading up to that point. I actually regret that because I really like Nas. He’s a really nice guy.

On his since-withdrawn sexual assault lawsuit:

It was hard. Really hard. I was heartbroken. I’m glad we got right to that so we could just get that out of the way … That shit took a lot out of me. I was angry. I haven’t been that angry in a long time; uncontrollable anger. You don’t put that on someone — that’s a thing you better be super sure about.

Even when we were doing the worst things, we had those kinds of rules. There was a line: no women, no kids. You hear those sayings, but those are things that I took from the street. We lived and died by that. So it’s strict for me; like it meant a lot to me … I knew we were going to walk through that because first of all, it wasn’t true. And the truth at the end of the day still reigns supreme.

On 4:44:

4:44 released a lot. I can’t really even listen to 4:44. It’s the album that I was always afraid to make… Just pure and vulnerable; the real interior thoughts … It was a lot of trauma [growing up], a lot of loss; a lot of seeing things nine-year-olds shouldn’t be seeing. We tuck it away and we bury it, and then it shows up in different ways … At some point you got to figure out how you’re going to navigate the world.

[My earlier albums were] just all bravado. Part of it was closed off and it works … People like the hothead; that excitement and danger have an allure to them. That’s Jigga. It was very useful but also not sustainable; you don’t want to look up one day and just be in some insane asylum somewhere alone with no family. It’s another side of that had to happen.

On Reasonable Doubt, 30 years later:

When we first dropped Reasonable Doubt, we sold 43,000 records. The energy was like, “You’re new; you haven’t proven yourself.” But in our mind, releasing an album was proof enough of concept; we did it! Remember we’re not in control of distribution or marketing or anything — we’re going like a street-level approach with this street-team approach! So when we put out the album — that, was the win! We had some success; remember: on the streets we were platinum! Anywhere you went you were going to hear Reasonable Doubt.

If you weren’t there now you’re looking at analytics; someone who speaks like that knows they weren’t there because if you were there you’d say this isn’t even a conversation! Anywhere you went any car Reasonable Doubt, was going to play.

On J. Cole’s early struggles on Roc Nation:

The narrative is that we [Roc Nation] didn’t love Cole; no! We believed in him enough to let him find his journey! It took him a minute but he found his way! I was giving him a chance to take his talent and show it off but his way! I didn’t say “Here’s this record from Stargate; put it out.” Like how Bleek had no choice but listen when forced into making “Memphis Bleek Is…”

Bleek is my little brother; he has no choice but listen! But for J.Cole he has found his own direction while I’m giving him tools! Stargate made humongous records with Rihanna; Wiz Khalifa “Black and Yellow”; biggest songs in world! You don’t want sit with them? No problem!

On backlash regarding being a billionaire:

The only thing heard coming up was American dream — “You could make it if you pull yourself up by bootstraps!” Heard my entire life until started being successful then became “You’re selling out because making money!” People had allure for struggling artist – mind game called tricknology! Not falling for that!

I make art first then ensure compensated for art! Didn’t get here by taking advantage or loopholes or wrinkles in capitalist structure! That structure exists; see world as is not as want be! Realist not idealistic! People speak about world how they want see it; never win like!

I have deal with reality navigate world not only for me but for bunch disenfranchised by system doesn’t play fair for us! In order progress forward have deal world way is!

This sometimes means going out starting own company or partnering established companies because that’s world live in! [There’s] nowhere go where Black people control distribution media! At some point have partner with somebody!

On unlikely advice from Jon Bon Jovi:

This is strangest thing but get advice from places wouldn’t expect! When took president job at Def Jam [in 2004], Jon Bon Jovi told me “You’re an artist! Don’t forget you’re an artist!”